A year has passed since Rory McIlroy won for the first time at Augusta National and entered the exclusive club of players who have won all four golf majors.
This time the Northern Irishman wrote a different story.
Previously, only Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods had managed to win two consecutive years at Augusta. McIlroy became the fourth player to achieve the feat - but not without drama.
The world number two's six-shot lead heading into the weekend vanished in a flash on Saturday. And as Sunday's play began, McIlroy continued to lose ground.
Justin Rose - the perennial runner-up - had snatched a two-stroke lead when he teed off on the tenth hole.
Hunted by Scheffler
McIlroy was two shots behind the Englishman and managed to regain command with birdies on holes 8, 12 and 13.
At the same time, world number one Scottie Scheffler came storming in and it was he who set the benchmark in the clubhouse, as the leader in the clubhouse at -11.
Rory McIlroy knew he could afford a bogey when he stood on the 18th tee, but hit one of the crookedest drives seen all week at Augusta. The ball flew far to the right, but from a tricky position among the trees, the 36-year-old managed to get the ball into a greenside bunker.
From there, he got up and down and two-putted for the victory, finishing at -12, one stroke ahead of Scheffler. Rose tied for third with Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley and Cameron Young.
The family in the audience
McIlroy's mother Rosie, father Gerry, wife Erica and daughter Poppy were in the audience as the champion was applauded by the crowds after the triumph.
"I'm so glad they got to be a part of this today," McIlroy said of the parents who weren't there for last year's victory.
McIlroy had to wait until his 17th start before he won the Masters and got to put on the green jacket for the first time.
Now it took only a year before he entered the history books as one of the tournament's great legends.
Jack Nicklaus, 1965 - 1966 (won six times).
Nick Faldo, 1989 - 1990 (won three times).
Tiger Woods, 2001 - 2002 (won five times).
Rory McIlroy, 2025 - 2026 (won twice).
2026: Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland.
2025: Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland.
2024: Scottie Scheffler, USA.
2023: Jon Rahm, Spain.
2022: Scottie Scheffler, USA.
2021: Hideki Matsuyama, Japan.
2020: Dustin Johnson, USA.
2019: Tiger Woods, USA.
2018: Patrick Reed, USA.
2017: Sergio García, Spain.
